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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27374497">A Walk in the Park</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/purplebass/pseuds/purplebass'>purplebass</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Infernal Devices Series - Cassandra Clare, The Last Hours Series - Cassandra Clare, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Family Feels, Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 17:43:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,754</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27374497</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/purplebass/pseuds/purplebass</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Will, with a 5 year old Lucie and 6 year old James, spend a day in the park.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Tessa Gray &amp; James Herondale &amp; Lucie Herondale &amp; Will Herondale, Tessa Gray/Will Herondale</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Walk in the Park</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div class="">
  <p>At 32 years old, Will Herondale could say he was satisfied of how his life had turned out. He was married to the person he loved. She wasn’t just his partner, but also his best friend. After they got married, Tessa had been worried that they wouldn’t be able to have children due to her demonic heritage. He had seen how her eyes followed the other children at the Institute.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Wouldn’t you like a child, Will?” she asked one morning after breakfast. They had just been left alone after Will’s sister Cecily and their friend Charlotte had excused themselves because they had to take care of their children.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Will’s eyes widened. He tried to wear a neutral expression, and not betray any emotion. “I wouldn’t be against having children, of course,” he had said. “But I’m also happy like this.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He had taken her hand in his. It was silent comfort. Tessa knew that Will was happy either way, and so was she. “So am I,” she had agreed, but there was a melancholic undertone in her voice.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Eventually, James came along.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He was unexpected. After years of trying and not succeeding, he was almost a miracle. A gift. Will had hugged Tessa and turned her body around the drawing room out of excitement, the day that they knew.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I’m sorry, Tess,” he stopped after a few seconds. “I still haven’t realized that you,” he had looked above and shook his head in disbelief. “We are having a child.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Yes, we are,” she echoed, and they had both cried of joy afterwards. And not only then. Every time it was brought up around guests that Will and Tessa were having a child, he would tear up. No one said anything, because they knew that it might not have happened at all.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>One year later, came Lucie.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Will thought that fate had been already too kind to them, by making James be born into this world. When Tessa found she expected Lucie, he thought that maybe they had done something nice to deserve another precious gift.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I would be eternally grateful to whoever granted us with these two amazing children,” he told Tessa one night, while they were about to fall asleep.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>She was reading a book, so she had to think a few seconds before realizing his words. “Will, <em>cariad</em>. There is no one to thank but ourselves.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Will, understanding what she meant, had smirked. “Of course, Tess, I know. I was just saying…”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>She chuckled, but her face contorted in pain a moment later, and she touched her already big stomach. “Ouch.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“What’s wrong?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“The baby just kicked,” she explained. “What…” she exclaimed, closing her eyes. “She wants to make her presence known. Here, touch.” Tessa had grabbed his hand, and put it over the spot where the baby had just not so nicely grazed her insides with their feet.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I felt it!” Will had said excitedly, and they were happy.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Six years went by, and James and Lucie had grown. They were six and five now, and couldn’t be more cheerful and curious to discover the world. Especially Lucie, who seemed to like birds and insects a lot. James was more on the shy side. He had already learned how to read and was often alone with his head on a book. But that morning, their father had promised them that they would go to Regent’s Park to enjoy fresh air and be together. They’d also have a picnic on the grass. It would be just the three of them. Tessa, had told them that Cecily needed help with something and she offered to help, so she wouldn’t come. The kids rarely left the Institute these days because it had rained a lot in London, and they were always excited to go out whenever they could. They also loved spending time with their father, of course.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Will’s eyes were closed, but he was not asleep. He felt a little hand on his face before he heard the voice. “Papa, wake up!” said Lucie. “I told you that he forgot,” she lamented, but kept touching his face.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“He never forgets anything, Lucie. He’s going to wake up soon, I’m sure,” James told her. He seemed sure of it, maybe because it was the truth. Will never forgot any appointment he had, and he wouldn’t forget a date with his children either.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Will tried not to smile, but it was difficult. Lucie had started pinching his cheek, and he was about to move his cheek, because her hands were getting angry at his face.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Papa!” Lucie almost shouted, but she was quieted by Tessa, who had sat down on the bed.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Will, you better wake up,” she told him. “Or you’ll be late.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He opened his eyes abruptly, and Lucie gasped. “Papa!” she said again.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>And Will smiled.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>One hour later, the trio left the Institute. Lucie held Will’s hand, while James held Lucie’s, since their father hand was holding a picnic basket in his other hand. They were talking about some thing their cousins had done while they walked towards the park, and he was grateful that his kids weren’t as chaotic as Cecily’s or Charlotte’s. When they finally approached their destination, Will stopped and looked at James and Lucie.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Alright, Lucie. James. I’ve told you before we went out, but I want to tell you again,” he began, glancing at his children with seriousness. “We’re not going to the lake; do I make myself clear? That’s the only place that’s off limits.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Why, papa?” James asked innocently.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Because there are ducks at the lake, James,” Lucie reminded him. “And you don’t like ducks either.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>James shrugged. “I guess ducks are okay.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Will frowned, and Lucie continued. “James, are you taking the duck’s side?!”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He was amused for sure. He was comforted that Lucie had his back, but he wouldn’t say it out loud. The truth was that James had also disliked ducks for a while, until he had moved past from his fear. He didn’t know how he had managed to do it, but he was sure that he wouldn’t be able to forget it until the day he died. And not even then.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Of course not!” James exclaimed, making a couple turn their heads towards them and frown.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>They entered the park then, and roamed around until they were tired, and needed a break. A food break. Lucie and James arranged the blanked on the grass, and set up the things that their cook, Bridget, had prepared for them.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“She also made lemon tarts!” Lucie said with glee.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“We have to eat these other things first, Luce,” James chided her, and grabbed a sandwich.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Will grinned, then he also started eating his food. It had been a fantastic day. James and Lucie were enjoying the sun and the flowers and the trees at the park. They had avoided the lake with the ducks, of course, but he still felt like something was about to…</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Papa,” Lucie said abruptly. She was about to let her sandwich fall on the blanket. She was startled, nervous. He couldn’t say. James stopped eating as well, and looked at his sister.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“What’s wrong, Luce? Do you need water? Do you need the bathroom?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Lucie shook her head. She was glancing at her father’s side, and he feared to ask what she was seeing. “Papa, behind you…”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>At that point, James also directed his stare to Will’s shoulder. His eyes widened, and he opened his mouth in surprise, or worry. “Papa, beware!” he said.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Will turned his head slowly. There was a duck by his side, and he was about to bite his sandwich. It was too sudden, and Will gasped, rose to his feet, and retreated a few feet from the blanket and his kids. James and Lucie didn’t say anything as they stared at the duck who had joined their feet, and was finishing Will’s food. Luckily there wasn’t anyone around.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Will thought he was silly. Why did those ducks cause him so much distress? It was just an aquatic bird! They didn’t even fly. He could just… the duck eventually left. <em>Thankfully</em>.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Papa, the duck has eaten everything,” Lucie said.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I guess he likes tuna,” James agreed. “But, papa. Are you… okay?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Was he? “By the angel, Will Herondale. Get a grip,” he whispered to himself and managed a smile. “Yes, papa is completely fine,” he said as he walked back to his children. “But I see my food is not.” The duck had left a few crumbs on the otherwise pristine blanket.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Do you want to go back, papa?” Lucie asked.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Because of the duck? No, Lucie. I promised you we’d spend the entire day here, and a duck won’t stop us.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Not even a family of ducks?” James wondered next, looking on the right.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“What?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>But he was kidding, and the three of them laughed. He didn’t tell his kids, but he was scared for a moment that James wasn’t joking.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Will really kept his promise. At six pm, the kids were back at the Institute, happier than they had been once the day had started. Luckily for them, no duck had bothered their lunch or their walks around the park afterwards. And of this, their father was really grateful.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Did you have fun?” Tessa asked once they were eating their dinner.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Yes!” both James and Lucie said, and their parents could see the joy in their eyes.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“My favorite part was when dad was attacked by a duck,” James said, making Will almost choke on his food.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Tessa gazed at him, and he blinked. He was also grinning. “Oh, really? Your father had a close encounter with a duck?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Yes!” James confirmed. “He was eating his sandwich and the duck came behind him.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“But we saved him,” Lucie added. “Before the duck would scare papa.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Ah, nice,” Tessa nodded. She looked at her husband again, but he was silently eating his food.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I’m here because of James and Lucie,” Will said after he finished. He glanced at his daughter and his son. They had already forgotten about the conversation, focused on their plates. Tessa took his hand under the table, and she smiled at him, and murmured an <em>I love you</em>. He murmured it back.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>At 32, Will was satisfied of how his life had turned out. This was a fact. What was he most grateful for? His family, no doubt. And not even an hungry duck could change his mind.</p>
</div>
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